Dezio, our hero

Today's ETHF herogram is going out to someone who is really, truly is a hero,
Mendezio (aka Dezio), the health support worker/interpreter from Bairo Pite Clinic who accompanied our patients Rita and Martinho to Australia.

Supporters will know that Rita's heart procedure has been delayed, because a blood clot was found pre-op, and this needs to be fixed with medication before our friends MonashHeart can go ahead with her mitral balloon procedure.

Overnight on Sunday at their accommodation near Monash
Medical Centre Rita became very ill with severe heart symptoms that left her struggling to breathe.

After some frantic calls to ETHF for advice, Dezio decided against waiting for an ambulance. Accompanied by Martinho (who had his own heart procedure only a few days earlier) Dizio physically
picked up Rita and ran with her to the emergency department where she was assessed, admitted and stabilised (and is now doing just fine).

This is Dezio's first trip supporting ETHF patients, so to deal with a crisis like this in the middle of the night, in the dark and cold, in an unfamiliar hospital, in a second language is just
amazing.

Dezio, 26, tells us that he likes to have new experiences, learn new things and help people. We're not quite sure this is what he had in mind though!